Nepal Holds 35th Place at Asian Games as Rain Threatens Cricket Hopes

Nepal's campaign at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya is navigating mixed fortunes, with medal success in kabaddi tempered by a setback on the running track and wet weather jeopardizing the men's cricket team. Nepal currently sits in 35th position in the overall standings with two bronze medals among 45 participating nations, according to Annapurna Post. Regional powerhouse China leads the continental showpiece with 128 gold medals and 225 total podium finishes, followed by host nation Japan and South Korea.

Nepal's confirmed medal haul was anchored on the mat, where the women's kabaddi squad sealed a bronze medal for the second straight edition of the Games, Deshsanchar reported. The Nepali team advanced to the semifinals by defeating Sri Lanka 34-25 in their concluding Group B match at Tokai Citizen Gymnasium. After establishing a 19-13 lead in the first half, Nepal maintained control with a 15-12 margin in the second period. The victory, coupled with an earlier win against Thailand and a loss to Chinese Taipei, secured a top-two group finish and an assured podium place alongside Chinese Taipei.

On the track, however, Nepali long-distance runners faced a difficult challenge on Monday. Santoshi Shrestha and Purna Lakshmi Neupane finished at the back of the 12-woman field in the 5,000-metre final at Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletic Stadium, Onlinekhabar reported. Bahrain's Winfred Yavi clinched gold with a time of 15 minutes 10.18 seconds, while Neupane crossed the line in 11th place at 17 minutes 0.60 seconds and Shrestha finished 12th in 17 minutes 53.17 seconds.

Meanwhile, inclement weather in Nagoya has put Nepal's quest for a maiden cricket medal in jeopardy. The Kathmandu Post reported that heavy rain continuing across two days threatens to wash out Tuesday's quarterfinal clash against Sri Lanka at Korogi Athletic Park. Because cricket fixtures lack reserve days, tournament rules stipulate that higher-ranked sides advance if a match is abandoned. Sri Lanka, ranked ninth globally in Twenty20 Internationals, would advance directly over 14th-ranked Nepal in the event of a cancellation.

Nepal head coach Stuart Law criticized the ranking-based tiebreaker, calling the regulation brutal for Associate nations that must endure extensive qualification paths to compete on major stages. Law noted that Korogi Athletic Park lacks adequate drainage and full-ground covers, leaving little margin for error if rainfall persists. The same rule already eliminated Afghanistan and Hong Kong on Monday, sending higher-seeded India and Pakistan into the semifinals without bowling a ball. Nepal had earned its quarterfinal berth by defeating Afghanistan by five wickets before sharing points in a rain-halted match against Japan.